Job Seeker Warns Of Sneaky Corporate Interview Trick Used To Get Potential Employees To Work More Than 9-5
insta_photos / Shutterstock In a tough job market, it can be tempting to gloss over interview red flags. But one job seeker warned others of a sneaky interview trick some employers use to get potential employees to agree to work more hours.
It's no secret that burnout, stress, and lack of a proper and healthy work-life balance are some of the many things that working-class Americans have in common. Most of these challenges stem from a demanding work schedule, toxic bosses and work environments, and a lack of support or resources from companies with unhappy employees.
However, it seems that more and more job seekers are beginning to realize how corporate organizations are doing their best to hide some of the stipulations attached to the job that would make any sane person turn it down; at least, that was the case for a man named Sean Lans. In a TikTok video, Lans explained that during a recent job interview, he was shocked at the information withheld until the very last minute.
Lans warned other job seekers that companies wait until the final round of interviews to tell candidates about working extra hours.
"Why do jobs always wait until the final round of interviews to reveal extremely important, relevant information?" Lans questioned. He explained that he'd recently had a final job interview, and at the end, the hiring manager informed him that if he were hired, they'd need him to work every third weekend.
Confused, Lans asked several questions, including whether it would be a full day of work or just logging in to check a few miscellaneous things. The hiring manager said he would likely need to work four to five hours on both Saturday and Sunday.
Lans pointed out that something like that should've been outlined in the job application or discussed during the first interview, rather than waiting until the final round. This makes it seem as if the company deliberately wanted to conceal the off-putting aspects of the job until a candidate was already heavily invested in the hiring process and position, which is dishonest and unfair to job seekers.
Transparency should be the number one priority in the hiring process because it sets the tone. If a job seeker can't trust the company before being hired, how will they feel once they start working?
Most hiring managers tend to lie to candidates during the job interview process for various reasons.
According to a survey from Resume Builder, nearly 40% of hiring managers admit to lying in job interviews. The three most common lies were about the role’s responsibilities, career growth, and professional development at the company.
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For example, during a job interview, the hiring manager might promise a potential candidate that a specific role in the company can lead to a promotion, but in actuality, they could be exaggerating or misrepresenting the potential for career growth. In Lans' case, while he wasn't outright lied to, important information about the role was withheld, and it seems it was done to overwork him down the line.
Resume Builder's survey also found that interviewers admitted to lying about things like compensation, benefits, and the financial health of the business, often to cover up negative information or attract more qualified candidates.
Job applicants need to do their own research into companies before committing to the interview process.
Lans pointed out that what was even more frustrating was that he'd had eight previous conversations with this hiring manager about the position. There were plenty of opportunities to discuss the work schedule. He claimed that a similar thing had happened to him months ago during another job interview.
"I was told that I would have to be on call every now and then. So then I go onto Glassdoor, and I'm looking up reviews that have on-call in them, and everyone is like, beware. In the interviews, they're gonna tell you that it's not often that you're on call, but then it's gonna be every week," Lans said, insisting that these are relevant points of information that should be relayed to a potential employee.
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In the United States alone, people working 55 or more hours each week face an estimated 35% higher risk of a stroke and a 17% higher risk of dying from heart disease compared to people following the widely accepted standard of working 35 to 40 hours in a week.
Unfortunately, applying for a job these days requires just a bit more research and insight. Whether that means checking reviews on hiring boards like Indeed and Glassdoor, or reaching out to current employees at the company you're applying to, and seeing how they are faring, and if there are any red flags that you should be aware of.
It seems that hiring managers and corporate higher-ups are choosing to withhold information to serve their own needs instead of having an honest and transparent dialogue with potential candidates.
Nia Tipton is a staff writer with a bachelor’s degree in creative writing and journalism who covers news and lifestyle topics that focus on psychology, relationships, and the human experience.
